The Little Witch Kelly
by swimmergirl103
Summary: The last thing Kelly Rider expected was to get the letter. But after being on the streets since she was five, taken in when she was eight, and now this, she'll believe that anything is true.


Hardened

Kelly Rider was not an emotional person. She never had been. Through all her life, she was always the tough one. She seldom cried, even in the saddest or most painful situations. When her mom died, she didn't cry. When her dad left, she didn't cry. When she was left alone on the streets, because none of her relatives wanted anything to do with her, she didn't cry. She was hardened.

Abandoned on the streets when she was five, Kelly learned how to do many things. Some good, some bad. She learned how to fight and how to lie, but she also learned how to use her wits, how to think things through. Then, as suddenly as she was out on the streets, she was back under a roof, with clothes that were hers, with a bed, with people who cared about her. That happened when she was eight. A couple named the Walts took Kelly in, clothed her, fed her, gave her a bed, and finally, a family. That's what happened that led to Kelly's current situation. On the couch. In the living room. With her adoption mom pacing in front of her, clearly angry and frustrated.

"Kelly, you told me you weren't going to get into any more fights this semester. You went back on your word. Now here we are, yet _again_," her mom emphasized the word 'again'," and there's a boy at his house with a broken nose, a black eye, and fractured ankle. You have got to stop this. Or else I'll have nothing left to do except be the bad guy. What led you to fight this time?"

"He was insulting Janie, mom. I guess I just got really mad and went off on him."Her mom sighed.

"Kelly, you're a bright girl. You know things that people your age don't. You know how to think things through, and did you then?"Kelly studied her shoes. "I want you to go to your room and think about why you need to think these things through. Now." Kelly, now 10 years old, went to Jefferson Elementary School. Janie, a girl a few months younger than her, was her best friend, and truth was, her only. Janie was a small girl who cowered in every situation. She tried to go unnoticed, but bullies always seemed to find her in the crowd. Actually, Janie was being bullied when they met. This is a short version of it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Stay away from me." trembled a voice from around the corner.

"Who says I have to?" The reply came with such contempt in it that even Kelly stepped back from the edge of the corner.

"I-I have rights against in-inhumane battery." said the tiny girl with the mouse-brown hair and brown eyes. No one noticed Kelly as she stepped around the corner and behind some boxes. Three big boys, probably only her age or a little older, had the girl backed up against the fence. Kelly crept like a ninja across the wall, ducking behind trash cans and scooting along in the shadows so that she was right behind the boys. She was a master at stealth; she could creep and crawl without a sound along anything. The girl was first to notice her, her brown eyes getting big at the sight of her. Kelly put a finger to her mouth, signaling for her to be quiet. Kelly's curly bright red hair looked like a fire descending upon her shoulders as she made her first move.

"Excuse me, but would you mind telling me one reason I shouldn't call you parents?"

"You don't know my family's number. You couldn't guess it if you tried!"

jeered the biggest boy, obviously the leader of the gang.

"Ha! You'd be surprised about how much I know about everyone!" If you want the truth, she did know all their parents numbers', because her mother was the principal of the school.

"I'll give you five seconds to make the decision, stay, or go." warned Kelly. "One…two…three…" Kelly took out her phone and pretended to turn it on, "four…five." Kelly didn't tell the bullies, but she was only pretending to dial."522-6541." Kelly spoke the numbers out loud to let them know she did know their numbers. "Yes, hi Mrs. McKendrick. This is the Jefferson Elementary school's principal's daughter. Yes, I am only in second grade, but you boy has been causing trouble. In fact, he has a helpless girl backed up against a fence right now. Yes, you can talk to him." She held the phone out to the bully, whose eyes were wide with terror. "It's for you." She said sweetly.

That's when they took off running.

The girl still looked wary but said, "Thanks, how did you know their number?"

"I'm the principal's daughter. I know practically everyone personally."

"You don't look anything like Mrs. Walt."

"That's because I'm adopted."

"Did you actually call their parents?"

"Nah. My phone's dead."

"Oh. You want to walk?"

"Sure."

And ever since, they had been best friends, Kelly protecting Janie and Janie just being Janie.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Kelly sat on her bed, gazing out the window, not thinking about one thing in particular. She thought of friendship, her adoption, the fight, really everything. Janie was her only friend. It wasn't that Kelly couldn't make friends; it was that they didn't want to make friends with her. She was to rough was what she thought.

_Taptap, taptap._

Kelly looked around her room curiously.

_Taptap, taptap._

Again. And again. Over and over until Kelly couldn't take much more of it. She got up and tried to look for the source of the taps. Then she looked up and through her window, she saw a tawny brown owl desperately trying to get her attention. She opened her window and it came in with a rush of feathers. It settled on her bed and dropped a letter on the bed and flew out again.

"That was really weird…"thought Kelly. But despite its weirdness, Kelly went over and tore open the letter.

_Welcome!_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Below is a list enclosed with the supplies that you will need._

There was a list that went on and on and on with the most peculiar items.

came through the door.

"Kelly, have you thought-"Then she noticed the letter. "What's that?"

Kelly was still staring at the letter as if paralyzed.

"Kelly Louise Rider, what is that?" her mom asked dangerously.

"I-It's a letter."

"Yes, honey I know that, but what is it about?" she asked exasperatedly.

Kelly gave her the letter and as her mom red it, her eyes became very wide.

"Well, Kelly, It looks like you're a witch."


End file.
